The Stolen Generations are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed as children from their families and communities through race-based policies set up by both State and Federal Governments from 1910 to the 1970s.

The effect of past day events that are present day impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. If people don’t have the opportunity to heal from trauma, they may unknowingly pass it on to others through their behaviour. Their children may experience difficulties with attachment, disconnection from their extended families and culture and high levels of stress from family and community members who are dealing with the impacts of trauma.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, healing is a holistic process, which addresses mental, physical, emotional and spiritual needs and involves connections to culture, family and land. Healing works best when solutions are culturally strong, developed and driven at the local level, and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that partners with communities to address the ongoing trauma caused by actions like the forced removal of children from their families.

#BTH20 microgrant funding round announcement

The Healing Foundation is calling for urgent action to address the widespread crisis in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The National Apology to the Stolen Generations was just one of 54 comprehensive recommendations made in the 1997Bringing them Homereport to address the impact of forced removal on the Stolen Generations and their descendants. Most have not yet been implemented.

The report highlighted that many of the issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (including substance abuse, mental illness and family violence) are strongly associated with the forced removal of children and the subsequent failure to provide healing.

“The Apology provided an important acknowledgement of the harm that was done but practical measures are urgently required especially to meet the needs of ageing Stolen Generations members within their lifetimes,” Healing Foundation CEO Richard Weston said.

Between now and the 20thanniversary of theBringing them Homereport on 26 May 2017 the Healing Foundation will be raising awareness of the outstanding needs of Stolen Generations members and their descendants through a new project called Heal Our Past, Build Our Future, BTH20.

As part of this project, the Healing Foundation announced a series of grants on the 9th anniversary of the Apology to enable communities, Indigenous organisations and schools in each state and territory to commemorate the 20thanniversary of the report and celebrate their local Stolen Generations members.

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The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that partners with communities to address the ongoing trauma caused by actions like the forced removal of children from their families. Our work helps people create a different future.